I stumbled across a quote that you made a long time ago, but now—in the age of Obama—it kind of resonates more with me. In reference to the Best Man, you stated that you were trying to make movies that showcase middle-class characters who just happened to be black. What's your reflection on that comment?
I still have that philosophy to this day. I don't know how more important it is now, but that fact that we have President Barack Obama in the White House is a sign obviously of progress. It's like, "Thank God! Not only do we see educated, intelligent African-Americans in a movie but now we got them in the White House and they're leading the country. They're leading the free world." That's an amazing thing. Just the image of that real black family representing America is like a beautiful thing to me. It's a manifestation of a dream.
When you go to the studio or when you come across a script, how does this mantra play out, when you're about to start working on a project?
I try to set a tone. I try to make sure that African-Americans are represented in a way that's not stereotypical. I'm quite certain some would argue that part of Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins is stereotypical. And perhaps with Soul Men. But again, I try to ground my films as much as I can in reality and make it relatable. I think everybody can relate to those kinds of family members, whether you want to acknowledge them or not. They're out there. Not every family is perfect. We all got our issues. I try to keep it as real as possible and remove over-the-top BS.
The Apollo Theater was prominently displayed in Soul Men and the venue was also used for the film's premiere. What elements went into the decision-making process behind using the Apollo Theater for the premiere?
For African-American singers, that's the pinnacle of performing. If you make it in the Apollo, you made it. More so than Radio City Music Hall or Carnegie Hall or anything like that. If you get props from the Apollo crowd, then you're good. That's how it's been throughout its existence. Since the Apollo Theater was written in the script and Soul Men starts in LA and ends in New York, in a way, it just felt right to have the movie premiere there. Thankfully, the Apollo crowd treated us well [laughs].
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